JERRY'S GIRLS - REVIEW - MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Jerry’s Girls is a musical revue based on the songs of Jerry Herman from shows including Hello, Dolly!, Mack & Mabel, La Cage Aux Folles, and more. The show premiered on Broadway in 1985 and is now playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Featuring an incredibly talented cast of Jessica Martin, Cassidy Janson, and Julie Yammanee, the show sounds stunning throughout – in fact, it would be difficult to find a show which sounds this good. All three deliver powerhouse vocals, and when they come together the harmonies are simply divine. Janson’s tone is delicious, Martin brings personality and character to the show, delivering most of the production’s humourous moments, and Yammanee is confident and charismatic.

Philip Gladwell’s lighting is gorgeously warm, working well to transport us to a Broadway dressing room. The set by Paul Farnsworth works well as the backdrop to different scenes; although his costumes could have had a more cohesive look to them, to bring the three performers together better. Also, whilst the performances are larger than life, with a campy, theatrical feel to them, the set and costumes could have been emphasised more.

Matt Cole’s choreography works well to keep momentum throughout, although this is not performed as tightly as one might hope. At times it seems as though the three were performing to slightly different beats, and were sometimes at slightly differing angles. This somewhat diluted the powerful effect the dancing could have, instead appearing rather clumsy in places.

The band are small but mighty, faultlessly performing this classic numbers. Whilst they are just 7 they manage to create a sound much larger than their number. Director Hannah Chisswick ensures the production moves along well, although I do feel the show would work better as 90 minutes straight through, the show was missing an end of Act One showstopping number that entices you back from the interval, which made me feel as though it should have just continued without a break. The show also has parts which could be omitted, for instance, performing ‘We Need A Little Christmas’ in May doesn’t have the same effect as in December. This is a musical revue on a much smaller scale than ones we’ve seen recently, and whilst revues can work, sometimes the audiences crave slightly more substance, and I believe that to be the case here. Vocally the show is impressive, yet after a while, the production begins to feel quite repetitive. This could be remedied with more choreography, slightly bigger numbers, and more sets and costumes – which I understand in this smaller space is impractical. The show also ended quite abruptly, surprising the audience it was now the curtain call; it is a shame there was not a more satisfying conclusion to the show.

Whilst this show is enjoyable, it will appeal to a slightly older demographic than I fit into – in fact, I got great enjoyment out of watching the older gentleman sitting next to me tap along and mouth along to the songs.

Jerry’s Girls is expertly performed by the band and performers, but slightly more substance is needed for this to be a truly satisfying theatrical experience. But, if you’re a Jerry Herman fan, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

{🎟 AD: PR Invite – Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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